Maitland Creek Tributary to Lake Rotoiti 28 k We rise to the early alarm, and the river shining in the gloaming. The stars were out last night, and the air was cool, cool enough that a sleeping bag felt cosy rather than stifling. My mattress is undeniably deflating at a faster and faster rate, so …
Month: February 2018
1/27 Half Day at Hunter Creek
Hunter’s Creek Hut to Maitland Creek Tributary 12 K I sleep until 7:00, when my mattress has deflated enough that my hips are aching from being pushed into the hard ground. I was hoping the last few nights had been a misplaced worry, an illusion that the mattress was flatter in the mornings, but I …
1/26 Along (and in) The Wairoa
Lower Goulter Turnoff to Hunter Cabin 21 k We are both feeling tired , so we indulge in an extra snooze, an extra eight minutes of brainlessness that somehow translates to an extra thirty minutes til leaving. No matter. “Swimming hole at the Hut!” we say gleefully to each other. It’s an alternating steep and …
1/25 Over the Rintouls and to the Tarn
Moss Ridge to Lower Goulter Turnoff 21k I have no problems waking up today when the alarm goes off at 4:40. If it will buy us any time out of the heat, I am in. We leave our secret little campsite just after 6:00, and emerge above treeline to sunrise colors. The trail up over …
1/24 Starveall and A Secret Rain Barrel
Beech Saddle To Moss Ridge 22 k We wake up in our perfect secret campspot and eat breakfast and pack, still sandfly-less. It’s easy to see how a person could get completely turned around in vegetation like this, you have to be practically standing on the trail to see it, but we chose and memorized …
1/23 Along The Pelorus
Tinline/ Pelorus Confluence To Beech Saddle 29 k Awake at 5:00 this morning, both well rested, we have everything together and are hiking by 6:00. The temperature this morning is a delicacy after yesterday’s heat. Clouds rolled in last night, and they are tattered on the peaks we are walking towards. There’s a tent in …
1/22 Back On Track
Nelson to Pelorus and Tinline Confluence Nelson to Pelorus Bridge, hitching 8 k, hiking Prana’s alarm goes off at 7:00, and I sit straight up. This bed is in the running for the most comfortable bed ever, but it never cooled off last night. I’ve got calls to make this morning! I go to the …
1/21 TA-bound
Castle Rocks Hut to Nelson 15 k hiking The alarm goes off just after 5:00, and we quietly sneak out to the porch to let the traumatized young Germans sleep. We hope that we indeed collected all of our gear last night, as their backpacks appear to have vomited camping gear and food rations over …
1/20 Castle Rocks and Moa Park
Awapoto Hut to Castle Rocks Hut 13 K The Swedish girl leaves silently, presumably early. She is gone when we awake after 7:00. We drink coffee and work on crosswords, then eat breakfast and work on the chores of cleaning and thoroughly drying everything. I shake sand out of all the pockets, hang all the …
1/19 Inland
Totaranui to Awapoto Hut 27 k It’s a crisp, clear morning, and we are hiking in the soft glow of early light. The Totaranui estuary is empty as we cross. Perfect timing. The trail leads up and up into the headland. We touch down at the ocean briefly at Apati Bay and again at Mutton …
muddy shoe memoirs 